The present invention relates to a camera which is able to reproduce photographed images according to needs.
In recent years, there have been commercially available electronic cameras which make it possible to record a photographed image once and reproduce it on a CRT screen or by a printer.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-189785, as an example of this type of electronic camera, discloses a camera with built-in printer which records photographed images once and reproduces the recorded images on printing paper internally provided therein according to needs.
In the camera with a built-in printer, however, since it is necessary to provide printing paper as a recording medium inside the camera body, a printer mechanism such as a printhead, a thermal transfer film, a thermal transfer film feeder in addition to a recording device, the overall size of the camera becomes larger and the construction becomes complicated. This is contrary to recent users' needs of a compact camera assuring increased portability. Also, in the camera disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-189785, the camera cannot be changed or reduced in size when photographing. In other words, the printing section is not inserted in the camera body so as to reduce the size when photographing. Accordingly, poorer balance is involved in holding the camera when photographing.
There has been known an instant picture camera in which a photographed image is printed out immediately after photographing. However, since printing paper and a printer mechanism are provided in the camera body, the overall size is larger. Further, since a recording device is not provided, only a limited applicability can be available.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64-868 discloses an electronic camera including a semiconductor memory for recording a photographed image. Recorded images are reproduced by a separate printer. However, it will be seen in this electronic camera that photographed images cannot be reproduced without regard to time and place because the camera does not integrally carry a printer.
In such cameras executing a plurality of operations, furthermore, there have been proposed combination switch buttons in order to reduce the number of operation switch buttons. For example, a camera may include a switch button which serves for both photography and erasing a recorded image, a switch button which serves for both photographing and reproducing a photographed image on TV, and a switch button which serves for both photographing and reproducing a photographed image. However, for the photographing and image erasure combination switch button, an erasure operation is practiced by manually changing a mode change switch and then pressing both the combination switch button and another button at the same time. For the photographing and TV reproduction combination switch button, a reproduction operation is practiced by manually changing a mode change switch and then pressing the combination switch button halfway. For the photographing and reproducing combination switch button, photography and reproduction are practiced at the same time by pressing the combination switch button. Accordingly, in conventional combination switch buttons, it will be seen that the number of operation switches are not actually reduced, and operation of such switches is cumbersome. Also, there has not been disclosed a switch button which serves for both photographing button and printing button.